Episode 35

Date: September 15, 2025

Episode 35 Summary:

• Bud notes
• Impressment of US citizens into the British Royal Navy was a key factor behind the War of 1812. https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2012/summer/1812-impressment.html
• Trump, Donald, and Tony Schwartz. Trump: The Art of the Deal. New York, Ballantine Books, 1987.
• According to Mike, in American capitalism, there is much focus on the facade, or how things look, rather than on how things work.
• Hegseth Fires General Whose Agency's Intel Assessment of Damage from Iran Strikes Angered Trump https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/08/22/hegseth-fires-general-whose-agencys-intel-assessment-of-damage-iran-strikes-angered-trump.html
• Trump fired Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Trump accused her of manipulating the numbers for political reasons (“rigged”) to make him and Republicans look bad. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/01/trump-fires-bls-chief/
• Will NASA Kill a Pair of Critical Climate Satellites?https://insideclimatenews.org/news/08092025/nasa-carbon-dioxide-satellites-trump/
• In Texas, key positions at NWS are vacant. (July 2025) https://www.dallasnews.com/news/weather/2025/07/08/across-texas-key-positions-at-national-weather-service-are-vacant/
• AI Summary
• In this podcast episode, the conversation explores the notion of truth, how it's determined, and how its erosion is impacting various levels of government and society. Mike introduces the topic by highlighting a concerning trend where official government information, traditionally viewed as nonpartisan and professional, is being compromised. This erosion is evident across different spheres, from the dismissal of experts whose conclusions don't align with certain political narratives, such as in the assessment of Iran's nuclear program, to the manipulation or dismissal of economic and scientific data from institutions like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and NASA. The discussion emphasizes how President Trump's administration lets go of those who provide unfavorable or challenging information, aiming instead to control the narrative to maintain a favorable public image.
• Bud adds depth to this point by questioning the validity of skepticism and conspiracy theories, which suggest that agencies like the BLS fabricate their findings. He stresses that without credible, verifiable information, skepticism remains unsubstantiated, which is problematic for governance where epistemology (€”the theory of knowledge and how we ascertain truth) plays a critical role. Bud and Mike both contend that the administration's approach undermines the standard processes used to determine truth and reality, leading to significant issues in policy implementation and public trust.
• Mike further elucidates this argument by discussing how this approach creates uncertainty in business investments within the U.S., as companies rely heavily on credible government data to make informed decisions. The lack of trust in official statistics and inconsistency in policies, particularly regarding tariffs, complicates future predictions, forcing businesses to hold back on investments until there’s a consensus on what constitutes reliable data and stable policy environments.
• The conversation also touches on various past examples, such as the early COVID-19 response and issues related to environmental data from satellites, to illustrate how lack of actionable, reliable truth can delay critical actions, thereby exacerbating crises and disrupting efficient governance. Mike compares this to being aboard the Titanic, oblivious to the iceberg until disaster strikes, emphasizing the necessity for truth and foresight in government operations.
• Bud concludes by drawing philosophical parallels, stressing that government must serve as a stabilizing instrument that offers verifiable facts and trustworthy data to support societal decision-making, akin to the principles laid out in the Preamble to the Constitution. Moreover, he remarks that offering an inaccurate portrayal or skewed perception of reality leads to flawed decision processes with potentially detrimental outcomes, underscoring the importance of maintaining an epistemology rooted in objectivity and factual assurance.

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